Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.
O Lord, hear my voice.
Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
But with You there is forgiveness,
Therefore you are feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And in His Word I place my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning,
More than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
For with the Lord is unfailing love,
And with Him is full redemption.
He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
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WOW. This is one of those Psalms that throws me into "Wide Open Worship". As I memorized it this week, I walked with arms outstretched to heaven, praising God for all that "full redemption" means. By the time I had it memorized, I was nearly having a "hallelujah fit".

This Psalm excites me because I've been in the depths. I've cried out to God and thrown myself on His mercy. Some Christians have the luxury of reading passages such as Leviticus 16-18's moral laws and identifying mainly through James' teaching that to violate one point of law makes us guilt of all of it. They read Paul's list of sins in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and think it's great that God pulled such people together in a church there in Corinth, but they struggle to personally relate. I'm so grateful God has allowed so many of His children to avoid the depths of depravity by being raised in the church or at least in moral homes, coming to know Him and living for Him from childhood or young adulthood. As much as I wish that were my story, it's not.

My reality is that I relate very, very literally to the Law's requirements of death. My blood ran cold the first time I realized that under the Law, I would have died. As I began to realize that I was in the depths, I knew of only one thing to do: cry out for mercy. I honestly didn't know if God would hear. But I knew there was no other option. There was no Plan B. I knew I couldn't stand before Him with the record of my sins.

How thrilled I was to know that with Him there is forgiveness. I completely understand why the Psalmist says "therefore You are feared." At first it seems counterintuitive because we think it should say "You are loved". But truly, when we desperately hope for forgiveness we stand before God our Judge as one guilty of a crime - someone who wants the Judge to grant mercy. We "fear" in the sense of reverence or respect. When I served on a jury, the convicted man begged for mercy at sentencing. He wasn't casual or light in his approach. He was thoroughly respectful. God's forgiveness should yield the same tone of respect in our approach to Him. 

So, I did all that I could do. I waited on God, and put my hope in His Word--in passages like Psalm 103:12. I threw everything I had into believing that truly, He Himself would redeem me -- through the sacrifice He made on the cross. An anonymous statement became a guide as I sought God's Word and learned that truly, Jesus' sacrifice was all I needed.

Upon a life I did not live,
Upon a death I did not die,
Another's life, another's death,
I stake my whole eternity. 

Truly, I learned that He offered unfailing love and full redemption. I learned He would redeem ALL my sins. I soon recognized myself in Scripture as the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair (Luke 7:36-50). All I could do was worship.

As I memorized this Psalm, I was taken back to those early days of awakening to the knowledge of my sins and of His full redemption. I had struggled to put those feelings into words and then a Gospel song was released that beautifully described my experience. As you listen to Cece Winans sing Alabaster Box, think back to your own cries from the depths. Praise Him for His forgiveness and unfailing love. And never forget that He has given you full redemption. There are no second-class citizens in the kingdom of God. Though no one else understands the "price of your praise", He receives it gladly. And He will use you to tell others that His full redemption is still available for all who will by faith receive it.